“It provides nutritious organic food and gets them out in the open air. It is also important for social networking, working together and meeting people.

“And of course we all know how relaxing and therapeutic growing things can be.”

The charity was forced to make its former allotment worker redundant and the allotment project languished last year.

Mr Whittington said: “Even so, several of our clients still went down there to keep it tidy.”

The new worker Alison Flawith has already started work to improve the facilities at the allotment.

She is also planning to create a kitchen garden at one of the charity’s West Reading properties in Oxford Road which has a large garden.

On Monday, Mayor of Reading Councillor Fred Pugh visited the allotment with Jerry Swift of Network Rail to celebrate its reopening.

Mr Whittington said: “It is fantastic to have the facility of an allotment for our clients to use and enjoy. All our clients that use the allotment are very keen to go there as often as they can.

“The fruit and vegetables that they grow are taken home to cook and enjoy by those who have put in the hard work giving them a great sense of achievement and a nice healthy diet.”

A spokesman for Network Rail said: “Network Rail is proud to be working with a grass-roots charity and we are delighted that our contribution will grow into something really worthwhile for RSHP’s clients.”